Madonna news - Sep. 2014

Nicki Minaj in the studio with Madonna?

Source: Instagram - 23 September 2014

Hours after posting a selfie with the comment "Goin to werk #bitchimmadonna", Madonna added a picture of herself and Nicki Minaj, with the text "We go Hard or we go Home we Gon Do this all night long! #werk".

Does that mean Nicki has also joined Madonna in the studio? Or did they just party away together? We'll know soon enough.

Madonna adds DJ Dahi & Blood Diamonds to collaborators list

The list of collaborators for Madonna 's next album continues to grow.

The diva posted an Instagram photo on Saturday (Sept. 20) of DJ Dahi and Blood Diamonds working behind a computer, with the caption, “Nothing can stop the Sex Boyzzzzzz!”

DJ Dahi is the producer behind Drake's "Worst Behavior," and has worked with other artists like Kendrick Lamar and Lily Allen. Pop act Blood Diamonds (aka Mike Diamond) is a frequent collaborator with Grimes.

Madonna has also been working with super-producer Diplo, who has turned up in multiple photos on her Instagram account. In his Billboard magazine cover feature, Diplo said that he's had multiple studio sessions with Madonna that have resulted in at least three "amazing, smashes."

The diva's next as-yet untitled album will be released in 2015 on Interscope Records. Her last release, 2012's MDNA, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Based on a glance at Madonna's Instagram feed, the set may also feature collaborations with Toby Gad, MoZella, S1, Ariel Rechtshaid, Avicii, Natalia Kills and Martin Kierszenbaum.

Madonna's 2015 calendar now on pre-order

The 2015 Madonna calendar is now available for pre-order from her official online store. Be one of the first 200 to pre-order and get a free 24 X 36 inches poster print of the original photo used to create the calendar's cover art!!

Ariana Grande & Madonna upcoming duet: Material Girl's hot song plans

From Nicki Minaj to Chris Brown, everyone is dying to work with Ariana Grande… even a vertiable pop icon like Madonna! A source reveals to HollywoodLife.com just why the ‘Material Girl' is looking to record with Ariana.

Ariana Grande, 21, is arguably one of the hottest stars in music right now. Not only is she a fantastic performer in her own right, but her collaborations with artists from Iggy Azalea to Big Sean light the charts on fire. It's no surprise that everyone in the industry is champing at the bit to work with Ariana, and “Material Girl” Madonna , 56, is no exception to the rule, as a source has EXCLUSIVELY revealed to HollywoodLife.com.

“Everyone sees the money that comes with Ariana Grande; she is on complete fire right now with her music career,” says our insider.

“Everyone wants to work with her and you can add Madonna to the list, as she is still very much up on all things pop culture and knows about the success Ariana is having and wants to work with Ariana on a future duet.”

A duet between pop queen Madonna and pop princess Ariana is literally all we want for Christmas and our collective birthdays. It's a match made in pop monarchy heaven!

Ariana is amazing in Chris Brown's just-released music video for "Don't Be Gone Too Long" (even if boyf Big Sean is a teensy bit jealous), and her feature on Jessie J's "Bang Bang" alongside Nicki Minaj has been in our heads since its release.

Madonna aiming for 2015 album release, 'having a lot of fun' with Diplo

Madonna's been hard at work on her upcoming new album -- as evidenced by her prolific posts on Instagram -- and is planning for it to be released in 2015, according to a representative.

Among those she's working with is super-producer Diplo, who has turned up in multiple photos on the diva's Instagram account. It's unclear if Diplo (who recently graced the cover of Billboard magazine) is materializing as the album's primary producer, but it would seem that he could play a significant role in the project.

When asked specifically about Diplo and his involvement in the album, Madonna's manager Guy Oseary told Billboard, "She's currently in the studio with Diplo and having a lot of fun," but didn't offer any further clues about the project. Alas.

In his Billboard magazine cover feature, Diplo said that he's had multiple studio sessions with Madonna that have resulted in at least three "amazing, smashes." "I got really lucky because she's been really understanding and open to my ideas. And she's like, 'I hate sleeping…'"

Madonna's next album is due out on Interscope Records, and -- based on a glance at her Instagram feed -- may also feature collaborations with Toby Gad, MoZella, S1, Ariel Rechtshaid, Avicii, Natalia Kills and Martin Kierszenbaum. On last week's Pop Shop Podcast, Kierszenbaum — the head of Cherrytree Records who also records as Cherry Cherry Boom Boom — told Billboard that he was “very proud” of the work he completed with Madonna in the studio.

“It was a real privilege to write with Madonna, and with Natalia Kills,” said Kierszenbaum. “We ended up writing about seven songs. We were meant to only be there with her for a couple of days, but we really distilled it down to a very traditional writing session. It was just me on the piano, and Madonna and Natalia Kills around it, and we just wrote songs the old-fashioned way, just playing the piano and singing. … I don't know what she's gonna use from the sessions, but it was a tremendous honor.”

Watch Madonna show off her DJ skills with Diplo

The Jeremy Scott afterparty was the place to be for music fans during NY Fashion Week.

Madonna even tried on her stylish DJ hat, joining Skrillex and Diplo for a turn at the tables. How did she do? Check out the video below, captured by a very-on-top-of-things audience member, alongside some of Madonna's own photos of the event.

Spoiler alert: It looks like everyone had a blast.

Madonna herself must have had a good time; on her own Instagram, she captioned the below pics "Another lecture from Diplo on djbooth etiquette! #sorrynotsorry #unapologeticbitch #diplotic" and "I just want to rave in the back! #sorrynotsorry #unapologeticbitch. #skrillyboy #fuckyousaying."

Madonna recording with Alicia Keys

10 September 2014

Madonna is again in the studio, this time with Diplo and Alicia Keys.

Madonna posted a selfie with a cardboard that reads "I am here for to fuck shit up #unapologeticbitch", which refers to the action launched by Alicia Keys under the hashtag #WeAreHere, to create a more peaceful world for children. The comment made it clear the two artists were recording together:

#wearehere. Alicia Killin it on my record....,,,,.,..,,#livingforlove

Diplo also posted a picture of Alicia and himself on the piano in the recording studio, also with the hashtag #WeAreHere

This is my 'Lets Get Shit Done' look in the studio today. People are scared. If this doesn't work i have a few other trucks! #bitchimmadonna

New song title: 'Illuminati'

Source: Drownedmadonna - 5 September 2014

According to Drownedmadonna, Madonna has also recorded a track titled 'Illuminati', in which she makes fun of the conspiracy theory that artists like her are part of a dark secret society, the Illuminati.

Illuminati is an upbeat song with a lot of spoken words, a great dance track but it's still uncertain whether it'll make the final cut for the album tracklist.

Madonna has recorded 40+ songs for new album

Source: Madonnarama - 4 September 2014

More rumours from fansite Madonnarama:

Madonna has already recorded over 40 different songs in various styles for her upcoming album. Madonna has worked with many producers and collaborators, including Avicii, Diplo, Natalia Kills, Martin Kierszenbaum, S1, Toby Gad, MoZella, MNEK and even Pharrell!

The original demos with Avicii (Rebel Heart, Messiah…) have a great concept and it's everything you can expect from a Madonna album. It's smart, mature and rich, but it lacks the real radio hits.

Madonna's work with Diplo (Bitch I'm Madonna, Living for love, Unapologetic Bitch…) is more trap/electro pop. Some of these tracks are a better fit for radio play, although they can sound a little immature at times.

The Toby/Mozella/S1 (Iconic, Body Shop, Joan of Ark…) collaboration has some truly great songs, in constrast to the sessions with Natalia Kills and Martin Kierszenbaum which aren't particularly interesting.

The following tracks (mentioned by Madonna) have been recorded during the sessions for the new album:

Madonna's new album not coming this year?

I have an industry source who is skeptical (to say the least) of the speculation that Madonna's about to drop her new album. He tells me:

"It's not coming out this year - if there was to be a 2014 release, sales sheet and other trade information would have already started circulating, unless it was to come out just before Xmas, which is unacceptable in European markets, where she is still a strong seller.

She is not finished yet, so the plan is a spring 2015 release, much likely matched with tour ticket sales opening / announcement. She has written and demoed several songs with different teams and is still recording the final dozen or so. Then there is mixing, which as usual she monitors in person.

No Madonna album has ever been released without having it mastered and handed to the label 2 months prior to street date, which is the time she usually takes to focus on videos, advance promo, long lead press, photo shoots. Hence, we would by now have clear evidence of a fall release, if there was to be one.

At the same time her strategy is to lead the game and she leaks info herself directly through Instagram, teasing with song titles, small clips, photos and quotes, so she can (try to) control it, but the recent info leak on song titles and detailed contents was absolutely not planned."

Madonna herself seems to confirm the delay, posting on Instagram:

Good things come to those who wait! I cannot serve a half Baked. Cake! #unapologeticbitch

New song title: 'Addicted'

"It's nothing like I'm Addicted from MDNA. Originally Addicted was called The One That Got Away, but Madonna changed it because it had the same name of a Katy Perry's single. But "the one that got away" is still part of the lyrics, as well as " addicted"."

See I don't know what it is
But I'm attracted to the dark
And it was easy to predict
You were gonna be the one who broke my heart

"Addicted is a very dark and mysterious song, and it does sound like classic Madonna. Madonna's Addicted has a lots of synths and a clean guitar."

Your truth is a lie
Bitter fruit
Bittersweet
But, oh so divine

Is Madonna working with Apple? Test this strange Siri connection on your iPhone

Fifty-three years after IBM programmed the first singing computer, Apple's voice-activated personal assistant Siri might be teaming up with Madonna for an unapologetic collaboration.

Fueled by Madonna's increasing use of #UnapologeticBitch on her Instagram, fans are speculating that's the title of the first single from her upcoming 13th album. And as Digital Spy points out, searching for "Unapologetic Bitch" via Siri produces a surprising result.

If you ask Siri to look up "Unapologetic bitch" on an iPhone or iPad, it takes you directly to Madonna's Wikipedia page -- which does NOT feature the words "unapologetic bitch" together. In fact, it doesn't feature the word "bitch" at all, and "unapologetic" appears just once in the lengthy Wiki entry.

Compare that to searching for "Unapologetic bitch" using a voice-activated assistant on an Android or another phone -- it just takes you to a generic Google search results page.

So either Siri is a closet Madonna fan, or Madge and Apple have teamed up in some fashion.

Might this mean Siri is a featured voice on Madonna's new album? Or does this simply indicate a business connection with Apple, similar to Beyonce making her self-titled album available exclusively on iTunes for one week?

Only time -- and endless speculation on Madonna fan forums -- will tell.

New song title: 'Inside Out'

Source: Drownedmadonna - 2 September 2014

With the revelations of the past few days, there seems to be a snowball effect on news sites and fans sites.

While fansite Madonnarama reports that the rumours of The Sun regarding the track Unapologetic Bitch are indeed true, Drownedmadonna now comes with another new song title: "Love You From Inside Out" or just "Inside Out".

The track is described as an electronic ballad with acoustic breaks. There's "slow dub step" in it, and the chorus is supported by a guitar. Drowned adds: "In Inside Out, Madonna is like trying to soften a tough guy and asking him to love her. Madonna is actually asking a man to let her love him from inside out."

Show me your scars and the dark corners of your mind.
Show me yours, and I'll show you mine.

This also explains the post by Mert & Marcus a few months ago, which read: "Let me love you from inside out Madonna"

Let's hope these recent news and rumours lead to some official announcements soon!

Madonna 'lashes out' at toyboy ex Brahim Zaibat's sexual prowess

The Holiday hitmaker, 56, has already slammed pop rival Lady Gaga and ex-husband Guy Ritchie after lyrics from her upcoming album were released last week.

But her toyboy former beau, 26, appears to be the latest on the receiving end of some rather harsh words in her recently-penned song, Unapologetic B***h.

According to The Sun, Madonna's new track slams the dancer's sexual prowess as well as mocking his lack of wealth, following their break up in 2013 after three years of dating.

The song contains the lyrics: 'I know you'd like it if I stayed home and cried. But that ain't gonna happen, here's the reason why: When we did it, I'll admit it, wasn't satisfied.

Another line boasted:

'I'm popping bottles that you can't even afford. I'm throwing parties and you won't get in the door.'

The track has a reggae-themed chorus, which Madonna ends with an expletive-filled rant against her former lover, with the line:

'You know you never really know how much your bulls**t cost me, but f**k you.'

Back in happier times in 2012, Madonna opened up on her romance with the dancer, explaining her younger man fulfilled her in 'many ways'.

Speaking during a Nightline interview, she said: 'I didn't choose to, you know, I didn't, like, write down on a piece of paper I'm now going to have a relationship with a younger man.

'That's just what happened. You see, that's the romantic in me. I just met someone that I cared for, and this happened to be his age.

'I don't want to live my life on my own. I love being a mother. My children fill me up in many ways, and inspire me in many ways, but I need a partner in my life and I think most people feel that way.

'I've never really lived a conventional life, so I think it's quite foolish for me or anyone else to start thinking that I am going to start making conventional choices.'

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Madonna for comment.

Last week, it was revealed the star had taken aim at Lady Gaga in a leaked track from her new album Two Steps Behind Me, in which the 56-year-old singer described the Poker Face star as a 'copycat'.

'You're a copycat, Where is my royalty? You're a pretty girl, I'll give you that. But stealing my recipe, it's an ugly look,' Madonna sings in the hard-hitting song.

'Did you study me hard enough? You're never gonna be, you're just a wannabe me. Like a sister all messed-up, who's gonna help you out? In your fantasy, you can try it all. But you can't be me.

'You can walk the walk, even talk the talk. But you'll always be two steps behind me.'

A source working closely with Madonna on her upcoming 13th album thinks Gaga, 28 will be 'mortified' when she catches wind of the damning lyrics, although it is yet to be confirmed whether the song has made the cut.

They told The Sun: 'They're very harsh lyrics but Madonna really wants to express herself again. Gaga's going to be mortified.

'I'm hearing Madonna may well drop the first of the tracks as soon as November, much earlier than expected. I can't wait.'

Guy Ritchie also reportedly gets a battering in his ex-wife's lyrics to another track Heartbreak City in which she describes the memory of their relationship as 'haunting' and accuses him of using her for fame.

She sings:

'Cut me down the middle, f***ed me up a little. You said I was your queen. I tried to give you everything. And now you want your freedom.

'You got just what you came for, a bit of fame and fortune, and I'm no longer needed.

'You tore me into pieces, you didn't have no damn reason. I let you in my kingdom, you helped yourself with everything.

'I curse the day we met. This memory is haunting me. I wish I could forget.'

Madonna was married to the director from 2000 to 2008. The former couple have a son Rocco, 14, and an adopted son, David, eight, together.

Madonna hints at song 'Joan of Arc'

1 September 2014

Madonna has posted the book cover of the story of Jeanne d'Arc, with the comment "That's right! #read".

With the post she seems to confirm the rumours of an album track titled "Joan of Arc".

According to fansite Drownedmadonna, the song is a heartwarming ballad, in which Madonna asks her fans for strength: "The track talks about how the world expects her to be a hero. Madonna talks about the press, how bad words put her down… and this breaks her heart."

Part of the lyrics reads:

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc , not yet
But I'm in the dark

So these tracks are in the running now :

"Wash All Over Me": some time ago Madonna posted some lyrics with the comment "Wash all over me #rebelheart". It's now thought that those lyrics are not from "Rebel Heart" but from a track "Wash All Over Me".

All of my illusions
Could be shattered
In a second
You can thread a needle
With a teardrop from my eye

It's a cruel injustice
To be witness
To the things I see
Looking for the answer

"Heartbreak City" and "Two Steps Behind" were reported last week as tracks about respectively Guy Ritchie (or Brahim Zaibat?) and Lady Gaga (or copycat artists in general?). Not sure if these tracks will make it onto the album.

"Messiah": lyrics were teased for this one as well and the title seems confirmed. There were also the video teases of an orchestra playing instrumentals for the song.

I am the promise
that you cannot keep
reep what you sow
find what you seek

I am the sorceress
down in the deep
I am the earth
under your feet

I am the moon with no light of my own

You are the sun guarding your throne

I heard the angels whisper to me
look for the signs
he is the one

I'll light a candle here in the dark
making my way
to your heart

In an interview, Diplo discussed a track "Bitch I'm Madonna" that he and Madonna recorded.

"Rebel Heart", "Unapologetic Bitch" and "Living For Love" have become regular hashtags in Madonna's posts, so these are probably song titles as well. Possibly the album title is in there too?